Lawmakers failed children by underfunding DFCS
As a licensed clinical social worker with 40 years of experience, I am appalled to read the April 10 AJC article “Report: Failures at DFCS led to kids’ deaths,” regarding Sen. Jon Ossoff’s findings.
Twice, I have written (and had published) an AJC letter regarding state budget surpluses and urging lawmakers to use part of the surplus to increase pay for Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) workers significantly, make caseloads more manageable and require workers to have a degree in social work or child development. Workers with appropriate degrees would help with the lack of training mentioned in the article.
Pay must be higher and caseloads reasonable to attract good workers with appropriate degrees. Now, I am writing in response to an article about child abuse/death. If only those state surpluses had been put to use years ago.
Let children who are already born be as important as unborn children. Gov. Kemp, do something now!
ELLEN C. SLACK, DECATUR
Systemic change needed for DFCS and VA
Pick any year, and the following is true: Failures at DFCS and the Veterans Administration lead to deaths. These are Georgia constants. The politically connected appear to head these agencies.
The late senator Johnny Isakson pointed to Veterans Affairs as his crowning achievement. Give me, or better yet, give the veterans a break. With each appointee comes the promise of significant improvements. The results continue to prove otherwise, and the consequences are both costly and deadly.
Leadership change is not the answer; systemic change is. Changing and replacing the heads does not change the system.
Pay and benefits for the front-line caregivers/protectors. Their caseloads and responsibilities are unmanageable. If you want to attract more quality personnel, pay them.
No one appears to question paying professional and now collegiate athletes absurd amounts of money. They are amazing and yet superfluous. Those on whom society depends are amazing and imperative.
J.M. SAULSON, SNELLVILLE
Pending PSC decision jeopardizes Georgia’s future
On April 16, the Public Service Commission will consider Georgia Power’s request to heedlessly expand its use of emission-producing fossil fuels. That brazenly negligent proposal, now favored by an agreement reached between Georgia Power and the PSC staff, clears the path to its approval. Yet, using more coal and natural gas will gravely magnify heat-trapping effects of power-generated emissions when such emissions must be decisively reduced to avoid the worst impacts of higher temperatures.
Perplexingly, many Georgia environmental groups have little to say about it, instead simply promoting adaptation and resiliency — partial and temporary buffering from ever-worsening climate disruptions. Silence about the urgency of cutting fossil-fuel dependency in these resiliency campaigns dangerously accommodates the emissions causing higher temperatures, certain to produce catastrophic outcomes.
Including premature deaths, climate-crisis impacts such as flooding, drought, crop failures and forest-fires are now costing Americans at least $150 billion annually, and they are rapidly accelerating. Approving more fossil-fuel generated power will recklessly endanger Georgians just to serve Georgia Power’s bottom line.
DAVID KYLER, SAINT SIMONS ISLAND
CENTER FOR A SUSTAINABLE COAST
Trump’s shows true motives with abortion switch
The frustration expressed by opponents of abortion regarding former president Donald Trump’s recent statements is difficult for me to make sense of.
Through their undying support of Trump over the years, these same people have time and again made it clear that they think political expediency matters more than honoring any core ethical principles. Those who are now disappointed by what Trump said about abortion should know that the former president is merely showing the very traits of character that his supporters have indicated they believe are acceptable for our political leaders to have.
SANJAY LAL, STOCKBRIDGE
